We're going to go to the capital where the new congress is sworn in today, as the old one is stirring up angry fights. Speaker john boehner is taking brutal criticism from new jersey governor chris christie and others for failing to vote on aid for hurricane sandy. And jon karl joins us with more on that and the other debates looming in 2013. Good morning, jon. Reporter: Good morning, george. It may be a new year. And later today, a new congress. But politically, it is not a new day. For president obama and speaker of the house, john boehner, the challenges ahead threaten to be even messier than the battle we just witnessed over the fiscal cliff. John boehner is expected to be re-elected todaye republicans as the speaker of the house. But it will be a battered and weakened boehner leading the new congress. It was boehner as much as anybody who ensured the country did not go over the fiscal cliff. But he did it by putting his own job on the line. The motion is adopted. Reporter: Supporting a bill opposed by the overwhelming majority of house republicans. And as if that wasn't enough, immediately after the vote, boehner took heat for adjourning the house without passing a $60 billion bill to help victims of hurricane sandy. The rug has been pulled out from under us. Absolutely inexcusable. Republican leadership has turned their back on new yorkers. Absurd. Absolutely absurd. Shame on you, mr. Speaker. Reporter: It was an attack echoed all the way from new jersey, where chris christie, perhaps the most popular republican governor in america, personally attacked boehner for not getting sandy relief passed. Shame on you. Shame on congress. It's absolutely disgraceful. Reporter: The fight over sandy seems to have been resolved. The house will vote friday on hurricane relief. Looming over the next several weeks, the possible default of the u.S. Government, spending cuts that could imperil thousands of pentagon jobs and a possible government shutdown. The only way to prevent all of this is cooperation between republicans in congress and the white house. But john boehner will likely find it even harder to compromise with president obama again. There's only so many times you can defy the majority of your own party. For now, boehner's position as speaker is secure, in part because nobody has stepped forward to challenge him. It may be at this point that nobody else really wants that job. I'll bet. And, jon, you mentioned, getting at the end of february. The speaker under treasumendous pressure. But he said he's not going to negotiate with the speaker. He wants the debt limit extended. This is a huge clash. Reporter: This is a collision course, george. I've never seen a situation where both sides are adamant they will not compromise. House republicans say there is no way they will raise that debt limit without getting cuts in exchange. And as you said, the president said they won't even have meetings about this.No negotiations, as congress' responsibility to do it. Another countdown begins. Jon karl, thanks very much.

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